Mission Detail

The church has been in the Monterrey Area since 1922 but as you can imagine if you know the history of Mexico, the first 20 years were rocky. Religious persecutions of all kinds took place beginning in the late 1920′s. It wasn’t until the 1950′s that the first district was organized here. Our actual mission, the Mexico Monterrey West Mission was formed in 1994.

Our mission consists of twelve stakes and two districts. In Monterrey, which is in the state of Nuevo Leon, the mission includes six stakes. The rest of the stakes are in the state of Coahuila. Three stakes are in Saltillo. Two stakes are in Monclova. Piedras Negras has one stake with the two districts about an hour away from it to the south Nueva Rosita and to the northwest Acuña. Both Acuña and Piedras Negras are border towns with Texas.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Rosalba

Hello!

So first off this space bar doesnt work too well so there might be a few words connected sorry. 

So this week has been pretty exciting! First off with changes. I am still in Estanzuela but my new companion is Elder Perez! Im so happy that Im still here to work with the branch. The branch president just got relieved and the new president is so excited and I can't wait to see how fast the branch starts picking up speed! 

We still are waiting for Esthela to get back from Toreon to be able to get married but they areboth doing well.And this gives us a better Chance to teachPriciliano a little bmore because he is a little bit colder and harder to find out his needs. As well we are teaching a new family that came to church with us sunday Rodrigo Patty and Erik.They are pretty cool.They all loved the church and told us that they are excited to return to the church next weekRosalba is still doing good shes passing through some rough stuff right now and feels like she isnt worthy to go to church so she didnt come sunday. But we've been helping her out. She told us this week that she now knows why she came to Monterrey she thought it was for work but now she knows it was to be baptized! 

So this week has been a rainy one and I got a cold like last Monday that still hasn't gone away because I get wet basically everyday. But I hope that Im about to come out of it!

Have an amazing week!
Elder Ahlmer

Monday, September 15, 2014

Wet Week

Hey everyone!

So this week has been good! We were basically soaking wet the whole week as it rained! Every time that it rains I feel awkward walking around in the street because people just look at you like you re nuts. And then you realize.. well you kinda are. I dont think Ill ever truly understand what people thatarent members of the church think about what we do as missionaries.... Well Elder Lopez is from Sonora and it never is cold there so he was suffering this week. It wasnt even cold... This winter is going to be an interesting one for him! 

Pricilano and Esthela didnt end up getting married this week because we didnt have enough witnesses for the wedding until after changes because who knows who is going to stay and who is going to leave. but they are both way excited! Even their four year old daughter is liking church now! Last night we visited Rosalba and she told us that she got her answer and wants to be baptized this next Sunday! So that ll be crazy exciting! Maria del Socorro has been a little sick lately and she went to the hospital and they found something in her stomach area that might be cancer or tumor so that's been a little hard to swallow. She goes to the hospital again tomorrow to check the results. Don Pablo is doing great! Its pretty amazing that just about every time we pass by his house hes outside in his chair reading! It makes me so happy! 

have a great week!
Elder Ahlmer

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Priciliano & Esthela - Wedding Bells

Hey everyone! 

So this week has been pretty stressful! So Priciliano and Esthela both want to get married and baptized! We put a date of their wedding for this Wednesday... so now you understand why Ive been stressed. Try putting a wedding together in less than a week.... Im not sure if well make it.. who knew getting married was so hard. But the good thing s they are going to get married. The bad news is I dont know if ill be there for it. This next Monday is changes and who knows what will happen! They're both really excited and are loving the church. As well we have been teaching someone namedRosalva. She has been to church 2 times now and has a baptism date for the 21st of this month as well! I really hope they dont change me the 14th! 

We also had a visit from Elder Valenzuela. Hes the second counselor in the area of Mexico. He talked with all the missionaries. It was pretty cool we talked about a ton of things but what stuck out most to me is member and missionaries working together. He told us to remember that we are here to support the members not the other way around. That hit me kinda hard. I feel like lately I have been thinking more that they are there to support us. I guess its time I fix that! 

Well have an amazing week! 
Elder Ahlmer
Im on top of the world! (thats me so ya know..)

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Pricillano and Estela

Hey everyone! 

So things ave been going by so fast I cant believe it! We are having a great time here in Estanzuela and I really dontwant to get changed! Well its rainy season again nd I love it! Our area is a huge mountain and so all the streets turn into rivers when it rains! Ill try and get some pictures this week! Oh and sometimes its like supper hot and sunny and it rains at the same time that's always nice! 

This week we found some amazing people! Priciliano and his wife(still not married yet) Estela! They are from San Luis and are really interested in the gospel! We have put baptism dates with them but they need to get married first! We talked to the about that Monday and they both want to and tomorrow we are going to the Temple with them to talk about how they an be sealed for time and all eternity! They came to church Sunday and liked it a lot! 
Elder Ahlmer

Moi! This kid is amazing!

Hermano Rosado a personal hero of mine! 
Elder Maldonaldo!

Mission Office Elder Curtis

Monday, August 25, 2014

Death of Maria's Husband

Hey everyone!

This week has been pretty exciting! So first off yesterday should have ended the hottest part of the year but todaydoesnt feel any colder so that was a little dissapointing.. Ill get over it. 

This week we met some people that are amazing to me. We met someone named Hector hes an 83 year old man who was taught by the missionaries like 15 years ago and when he saw us talking to his son he came out and invited us to visit him another day. Theres just a small problem as of 8 months ago he had a sickness and now he doesnt remember anything from his past llike he didnt even know where he lived. Its a pretty bis miricle that he wanted to talk to us. We came back the next day and he told us he invited us in becasue we looked familiar we started talking with him and he has been loving what we teach him. We started talking about Joseph Smith and he says wait a minute walks out of the room, at this point my companion and I were a little nervous about what was going to happen or what he was going to bring back, and he comes back into the room with an old copy of the book of Mormon! First thing that came into my mind is that hes a member but then he started to explain how now he m}remembers talking with the missionaries over 15 years ago. He never was baptized but read the book of Mormon daily and it shows in his book! He has it well marked and noted and everything! He told us he went to church two times in San Angel but broke both of his legs falling off of a roof so he couldnt go anymore. He has accepted a baptism date for the 7th of sept! i am more than convinced that the lord has played a huge part in this mans life and that he has been prepared to find this gospel. I am so blessed to be a small part in helping him along the way!

We have also been teaching Yadira she is doing great yesterday was her second time in church and she is also planning for the 7th of Sept. She has a strong desire to know what is the true church. The other day we were teaching her and she told us that she knows what we have been teaching her is the truth! 

Also we have been visiting someone named Maria de los Angeles. Her husband was really sick with cancer. He had been fighting with it for so long. She hasnt been able to go to church because she has been taking care of him. This last Sunday we visited them with a youth in our ward. He just turned 16 and it was his first time going with the missionaries. So I should tell you guys that her husband was crazy crazy crazy skinny like it hurt to see him. He couldnt eat or anything. Like legit looked like the people from the concentration camps. when we showed up he was doing bad. So bad that the youth didnt even want to enter into the room. But we went in and talked with the family about the plan of salvation and sang a few hymns with them. We were walking past her house the next day and saw a bunch of people outside and we knew what happened, We stopped and talked with the daughter of Maria and she told us that not 15 minutes after we left he died. She said it in a kind of way that i thought she was blaming us but then we kept talking and she thanked us so much for all that we did. It was an amazing experience to be able to talk to all her family about what happens after this life. Something Ill never forget. 

Even though its hot the lord doesnt stop his miracles! 

I hope you all have an amazing week!
Elder Ahlmer
Look Mom, Fish!

Making Ice Cream by hand

Huge Bread Cake

Monday, August 18, 2014

Hot!

Hey Everyone!

How are thinks up north? Things are going great down here. The heat is pretty killer! Im really starting to get to know the members of this branch well and thats a good and bad thing. Sometimes well a lot of the time theyre really lazy and that drives me crazy. It take a ton of time and work to get the smallest things accomplished. Elder Lopez and I are doing great and having a ton of fun. 

I dont have too much time to write but Im alive! 
Elder Ahlmer

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Foundation Dig and Life Changes

Hey everyone! 

So this week has been pretty crazy! Well really really hot! So we have been in the canicula or the 60 days that will light your hair on fire from pure heat so yeah... Na I love it. We are having so much fun here in Estanzuela. So first things first some traditions that drive me crazy here.... They wont give you cold water because they say it will kill you. They tell you if you go into a store that has AC after being outside you ll get crazy sick... and die. and the countless ghost stories that I honestly dont know how to respond too.... Gotta love culture differences here! 

This past year and a little more in Mexico has changed me a quite a bit and if you really know me youll understand whatIm saying when I give some examples. I know I love Peanut butter like soo much, I also can't eat enough salad, I learned how to snap about 2 weeks ago and the list keeps going on. But the real difference is spiritual I can not believe how much I have learned about the nature of God during this past year and how much I still need to learn. I love God with all my heart and I know exactly who I am and who I can become if I do my part. I testify that Jesus is our Savior, He is resurrected and because he was so prefect we all will resurrect. I am eternally grateful for all of the love God gives each and every one of us. Our purpose here in the earth is to have a family not just for this life but for the eternity.

Thank you all for your support and love. I love hearing about whats going on up there!

This week we did some crazy service project! We dug out a foundation for a house of some members! It was so hard and it was all rock. I can't believe that everyone that lives up where this hermano lives has to do this for their house because there isn't a street!